|
11051597
Lance Bombardier
James Surr
1921/02/11 - Born Ashton-Under-Lyne
Occupation - Clerk
Royal Artillery
242/48 LAA
Japanese PoW
1942/03/20 - Captured Java
PoW No. 4334
Japanese Index Card - Side 1
Japanese Index Card - Side 2
1944/06/27 - Transported in Java Party 22 from Java to Singapore
New PoW No. 5707
1944/07/07 - Malaya
1944/07/12 to 1944/07/27 - Transported to Sumatra Railway Camp 1 in Queen Elisabeth Ferry
New PoW No. 10301
1945/09/02 - Liberated
Died
Age 95
2016/07/16
Tribute
Craven Herald & Pioneer
By Lesley Tate, Senior Reporter
Craven's last Japanese prisoner of war dies aged 95
SKIPTON'S last remaining Far East prisoner of war James Surr has died at the age of 95.
Mr Surr, who lived in Embsay, died at Craven Nursing Home on Saturday.
Until the early part of 2000, Mr Surr was the only person who stood at the war memorial in Skipton on August 15 every year to mark Victory in Japan Day – the day in 1945 when Japan surrendered.
Mr Surr expressed his concern in the Craven Herald, which led to him being joined at the war memorial every year afterwards by representatives of the Royal British Legion.
Mr Surr spent three-and a-half years as a prisoner of war in Java and Sumatra, and said the anniversary of Japan's surrender in the Second World War was always a sad day. Of all his comrades who went to Borneo, only six came home – and that was because they had dysentry.
Mr Surr went on to write a book about his war experiences entitled 'Trust in God and keep your bowels open'.
Mr Surr's wife, Ethel, died last year at the age of 88. They had two children, Nora and Stephen, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Information
Craven Herald & Pioneer
Roll of Honour
KEW:-
WO 361/2006, WO 392/26, WO 345/50, WO 361/2002, WO 361/1948, WO 361/2222, WO 361/2013
|
